Means for protecting mechanisms



March 24 1936- E. c. EKSTROMER MEANS FOR PROTECTING MECHANISMS Filed NOV, 2C),v 1934 2 SheeLS-Shee`\`l l w w R W mm Mm EK ME A n @WA EY Y March 24, 1936. E. c. EKSTROMER MEANS FOR PROTECTING MECHANISMS I 2 sheets-sheet 2 Filed NOV. 20, 1934 IVNVENTQR. Eau/ARD C. EKSTEOMER. BY

Mwawm lad l ATTORNEYS.

Patented Mar. 24, 1936 PATENT OFFIQE MEANS FOR PROTECTING MECHANISMS Edward C. Ekstromer, Los Gatos, Calif., assignor of one-half to Homer J. Lloyd, Los Gatos,

Calif.

Application November 20, 1934, Serial No. 753,989

9 Claims.

This invention relates to means for protecting mechanisms by removing liquids from locations wherein the liquids, if uncontrolled, would subsequently come into contact with the mechaniSms and either damage or destroy the latter, and the invention is more particularly in the nature of an improvement upon the forms and arrangements of parts disclosed in my co-pending applications serially numbered 745,161 and 745,162, led September 22, 1934.

' As in the devices disclosed in my aforestated applications, the present invention makes use of a reciprocally mounted receptacle carried by the mechanism to be protected for collecting liquid and preventing same from reaching the mechanism, and an object of the present improvement is to better insure rapid and better and more positive displacement of the liquid, and to so co-ordinate and construct the parts employed as to insure positive relative separation thereof immediately following the displacement stroke of certain of said parts.

With the above and other objects in view, which will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists inthe improved construction and novel arrangements of parts which will hereinafter be fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings hasV been illustrated a single and preferred form'of the invention, it being, however, understood that no limitations are necessarily made to the precise structural details therein exhibited, but that changes, alterations and modifications within the scope of the claims may be resorted to when desired.

In the drawings, A

Figure 1 is a vertical section through the means embodying the invention and illustrating same in association with an enclosure for the mechanism to be protected against liquid from an exterior source, the parts being in what maybe called the'iilling stroke of the pistons employed;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1, showing the parts in the position necessary to effect displacement of the collected liquid;

Figure 3 is a transverse section on line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a transverse section on line 4-4 of Figure l;

Figure 5 is a transverse section on line 5 5 of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a vertical section on line 6 6 of Figure 1.

As in my aforestated co-pending applications, this invention, in its present embodiment, is

shown for the purpose of illustration associated with a mechanism which includes a crosshead I Il adapted to be reciprocated during operation of the mechanism to impart a corresponding movement to a member II in the form of a rod which is secured at one end to the crosshead and operates thro-ugh a Wall of a closed chamber I2 defined by a casing I3 enclosing the mechanism.

The wall of the chamber through which the member II extends exteriorly of the chamber for connection to a part (not shown) to be actuated by the member is defined by a plug I4 threadedly secured in the casing to close kthe chamber. A packing gland I5 is associated with the member II and includes packing I6 seating in a recess I'I in the plug I4, and a nut I8 threaded into the plug to compress the packing.

Assuming that the casing is disposed in a Vertical position in a water or oil well, for example,

so that the casing is submerged in the liquid with the member II projecting upwardly from the casing into the liquid, a leakage of -liquidbetween the member II and the wall of the chamber into the latter will occur during reciprocation of the member, notwithstanding the provision of the packing gland I5. Y

In order to positively protect the enclosed mechanism against liquid leakage into the chamber I2 as aforestated, a means is provided for collecting and ejecting the liquid from the casable well known manner to the upper end of the cross head ID and having concentrically arranged equidistantly related cylindrical chambers 20 of which four are shown in the present embodiment. These chambers are formed in the more or less thick bottom wall of the cup and each thereof opens in the direction of the space 2I defined by the annular walls of said cup. The closed ends of these chambers open by Way of radial ports 22 to a valve 23 at the lower end of the member Il, said valve having a seat 24 with which a vertically movable ball 25 is adapted to co-act, whereby during one movement of the member II the ball will close against its seat and open relatively to the seat on movement of the member II in an oppo-site direction, subject, however, to the operation of means which I will presently describe. The valve 23 co-acts with an axial bore 26 in said member II, the latter having radial discharge passages 21.

Free to slide on the member II is a spider 28, a fixed stop collar 29 on the member II serving to limit the sliding movement of said spider in one direction. Rods 30 on the respective arms 3| of the spider operate in alined recesses 32 in the -bottom of cup I9 and contained in the recesses Each arm 3I of the spider 28 carries a solid piston 35 having an annular skirt 39, the latter having an annular series of ports 31. These pistons work in the respective chambers 20 and when the parts are inthe relative positions shown in Figure l, the ports 31 open directly into the cup space 2|, thus enabling liquid` in said space to enter said chambers. But when the parts .are in the positions shown in Figure 2, any liquid in said chambers will be displaced into the axial bore 2S of the member I I in consequence of the structural arrangement of said parts and the valve 23.

In order that the chambers 2li can be timely vented as required, each thereof has a port 38, including a check valve 39` which co-acts with a breather tube All, the latter'extending into the cup space 2I and terminating at the top thereof in a downwardly curved neck 4I, thus enabling air to be supplied the chambersV as is necessary for a free return. of the pistons 35 to intake positions after liquid has been displaced from said chambers.

Having substantially set forth the description of operation of the `various parts, a further description of operation is as follows:

Any liquid whichY finds its way to the cup space 2| will settle in said space and run into the chambers 20 through aforestated ports 3'1 in pistons 35. Assuming that such flow is occurring with the parts in the positions shown in Figure l, it follows that on the upstroke of the cup I9 the hub of the spider 28 will strike the collar 34, thereby advancing the spider in the direction of the bottom of the cup. The solid pistons 35 are forced into the chamber 2E) and any liquid contained in the latter will be forced into the axial bore 26 of member I I. In the position shown in Figure 2, the radial ports 2l will be above the plug I4 and liquid rising in the bore 26 will, of course, discharge radially of` said member II and outside of the casing I3.

It is to be understood that the spider 28 by virtue of the stop collar 29 is limited in its movement to the extent that the lower ends of the pistons 35 can never completely leave their co-acting cylinders 2D. This is important in that alinement of the pistons with their chambers is positively insured at all times. By means of the annular series of pistons maximum displacement can be had that will insure complete emptying of the space 2l on each operation of the pistons at the time stated.

The relative term deep as employed herein yin describing the cup I9 shall relateto the large capacity of theV space 2l formed by the annular walls of the cup, which walls serve to cause the spider 28 and its pistons. 35 to be wholly contained within said space.V It is by means of this construction that the device will accommodate more liquid than was provided for in the form of the inventions disclosed in my copending applications.

What is claimed is:

1. The combination with a casing having a liquid collecting mechanism, including a cup and a reciprocal rod having a Valved bore, the cup having an annular series of liquid chambers, of an annular series of ported pistons carried by the rod and movable axially thereof and co-operable with the chambers, the chambers having portsl communicating with the bore of the rod; means for moving the pistons in one direction; and means by which motion can be transferred to the pistons to move same in an opposite direction and against the normal action of the rst means.

2. 'Ihe combination, with a casing having a liquid collecting mechanism, including a cup and a reciprocal rod having a valved bore, the cup having an annular series of liquid chambers, of an annular series of ported pistons carried by the rod and movable axially thereof and co-operable with the chambers, the chambers having ports communicating with the bore of the rod; means for moving the pistons in one direction; means for preventing entire withdrawal of the pistons from said chambers; and means by which motion can be transferred to the pistons to move same in an opposite direction and against the normal action of the rst means.

3. In a device of the class described, a liquid collecting cup having a bottom formed with an annular series of chambers, the chambers having liquid discharge ports, a spider contained in the chamber and movable relatively to said bottom, and ported pistons mounted for reciprocal movement in the respective chambers and whose ports are adapted to open into the cup above the bottom thereof when the pistons are in one position.

4'. In a device of the class described, a liquid collecting cup having a bottom formed with an annular series of chambers, the chambers having liquid discharge ports, a spider contained in the chamber and movable relatively to said bottom, and ported pistons mounted for reciprocal movement in the respective chambers and whose ports are adapted to open into the cup above the bottom thereof when the pistons are in one position, the depth of the cup being in excess of the length of any one of said pistons.

5. In a device of the class described, a liquid collecting cup having a bottom formed with an annular series of chambers, the chambers having liquid discharge ports, a spider contained in the chamber and movable relatively to said bottom, ported pistons mounted for reciprocal movement in the respective chambers and whose ports are adapted to open into the cup above the bottom thereof when the pistons are in one position, and means between the bottom of the cup and the spider for urging the pistons in one direction.

6. In a device of the class described, a cup operi at its top and provided with a thick bottom, the latter having a ported chamber, and a solid piston movable in the chamber and provided with a lateral port which is closed by the walls of the chamber when the piston is in one position and which opens into the cup above said bottom when the piston is in another position.

r1. In a device of the class described, a cup open Y at its top and provided with a thick bottom, the

latter having a ported chamber, a solid piston movable in the chamber and provided with a lateral port which is closed by the walls of the chamber when the piston is in one position and which opens into the cup above said bottom when the piston is in another position, movable means on which the piston is mounted, and means co-operable with the movable means for moving same.

8. In a device of the class described, a cup open at its top and provided with a thick bottom, the latter having a ported chamber, a solid piston movable in the chamber and provided with a lateral port which is closed by the walls of the chamber when the piston is in one position and which opens into the cup above said bottom when the piston is in another position, movable means on which the piston is mounted, and means co-operable with the movable means for moving same and including a spring between the bottom of the cup and said movable means.

9. In a device of the class described, a vertically disposed hollow body, open at its upper end and provided with a fluid discharge port and said body having a chamber into which uid from the body can enter and said chamber being in communication with said port; a reciprocal piston in said chamber, said piston having a perforation through which fluid can enter the chamber from the cup as aforestated; and a breather tube by means of which the chamber can be supplied with air during movement of the piston in one direction.

EDWARD C. EKSTROMER. 

